Stings and Arthritis / rheumatism

[greatbritishhoney]

Just wondered if anyone has any anecdotal evidence of bee stings being either good or bad for arthritis/rheumatism?
I've often heard people say that bee venom can help with arthritis but I got three stings on the same finger yesterday and today the joint is really inflamed. I have a mild form of rheumatism and I'm pretty sure the bee stings have brought on the inflammation in the joint.
It's not like ordinarily swelling due to stings, infact the stings were at least an inch away from the joint.

 

[plumberman]

An Uncle of mine was a GP in Tighnabruaich - a small village on the west coast of Scotland. His main reason for keeping bees was exactly that - alleviation of arthritis (I'm assuming osteoarthritis, but I was young at the time and didn't know many words over 4 syllables....). He certainly believed it was effective, and given his profession it might lend a bit more credence to the theory.

 

[theengraver]

Bull***t bee sting do nothing its an old wifes tale

 

[psafloyd]

Bull***t bee sting do nothing its an old wifes tale

That may be true, but there is a Lot of truths in old wives' tales. Which is why those who ran guilds, including physicians, singled them out and hanged them for witches.

 

[VEG]

You cant say it dont work as it may work for some but not others.

 

[RichieDug]

Stings from Stinging nettles are most certainly have an anti-inflamatory affect on joints and tendons. tennis elbow RSI pains etc.

Richard

 

[Poly Hive]

If it is rubbish then why does the American Association of Apitherapy exist?

http://www.apitherapy.org/

PH

 

[drstitson]

"I got three stings on the same finger yesterday and today the joint is really inflamed."

why expect anything else?

"I have a mild form of rheumatism"

that's not a diagnosis!

and I'm pretty sure the bee stings have brought on the inflammation in the joint. It's not like ordinarily swelling due to stings"

3 stings around a joint will cause local inflammation as they would do anywhere else on the body. The idea of apitherapy is the longer term benefits - the treatment itself still causes a reaction.

i'm with my new mate PH on this and personally have an open mind on the subject BUT
just because the NHS doesn't offer apitherapy doesn't mean it doesn't work.

 

[Essex Bees]

I've done quite a bit of digging into this - arthritis runs in my family and one of the reasons I expanded my beekeeping is because of this.

China and Russia actually offer bee sting therapy and many of the beekeepers who taught me in France all stated the same thing.

I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule (such as smokers living till 100 etc) but with this one I've read more in support of this, rather than dispelling it.

From my personal perspective, I'm not sure whether one needs to start young so the chemicals build up inside your body as opposed to using it as a therapy once arthritis has taken hold.

 

[Black Comb]

My own experience is that after 2 years of beekeeping arthritis has started in one hand. I've been stung many times on that hand so it's either doing it no good at all or has brought it on.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

"I got three stings on the same finger yesterday and today the joint is really inflamed."

why expect anything else?

"I have a mild form of rheumatism"

that's not a diagnosis!

and I'm pretty sure the bee stings have brought on the inflammation in the joint. It's not like ordinarily swelling due to stings"

3 stings around a joint will cause local inflammation as they would do anywhere else on the body. The idea of apitherapy is the longer term benefits - the treatment itself still causes a reaction.

i'm with my new mate PH on this and personally have an open mind on the subject BUT
just because the NHS doesn't offer apitherapy doesn't mean it doesn't work.

I was asking the question to see if anyone had any information on the effects of bee venom on rheumatism. I have no opinion either way - I was describing the "symptoms" as I experienced them. I'm quite interested in the possibility of a therapeutic effect from bee venom and was seeking to understand how any positive / negative effect may work.
Usually if I get a sting on the finger I get some soft tissue swelling but have never had any related joint pain - hence the question.
My diagnosis of palindromic rheumatism was made by a consultant rheumatologist at Lancaster Royal Infirmary about 10 years ago.

 

[Poly Hive]

Charles Maraz effectively started the AIA as a one man band writing in Gleanings. Much as Doubleday did over here with organics.

A friend of mine in Ross-Shire had good results with a MS person in Inverness, and another friend had good results in Lerwick with an arthritis victim.

Anecdotal yes, but the individual stories mount up. Hence the success in the states.

PH

 

[adrian wilford]

i met a person who knew i was a beekeeper who explained that they suffered from arthritus until being stung on the troubled knee and it cleared up the pain. so they were happy thats all that matters i suppose.

 

[ladyrose1956]

osteoarthritis / fibromyalgia / Carpol Tunnel

Hi i have osteorthritis / fibromyalgia /carpol tunnel in both hands for those people who dismiss bee stings as not good for the above condition then you dont know what you are on about it really does help every time i go into the hives i get stung at least four times i dont have much swelling around the sting but it does make a diffrence well it did for me as i have pain in all mt joint and muscles

 

[justme]

Hi i have osteorthritis / fibromyalgia /carpol tunnel in both hands for those people who dismiss bee stings as not good for the above condition then you dont know what you are on about it really does help every time i go into the hives i get stung at least four times i dont have much swelling around the sting but it does make a diffrence well it did for me as i have pain in all mt joint and muscles

I have some of the first, couple of fingers and major toe joints, just about all of the second (luckily none of the latter), since I started beekeeping although I dont get stung loads, I do get stung and I seem much better:.)